The teams are in and the big news is that Anthony Martial has been handed a very first Manchester United start by Louis van Gaal.
Here’s how PSV will line up, by the way.
A few names you’ll recognise – Luuk de Jong is the captain and leads the line up front – he was on loan at Newcastle last season.
Centre-back Jeffrey Bruma was at Chelsea for a few years but never really made his mark. And there’s Andres Guardado, the Mexican, who spent last term on loan at PSV before joining permanently.
It looks like United will play a usual 4-2-3-1 but with a slight change – Juan Mata is named in the central supporting role with Memphis and Ashley Young on the flanks. Ander Herrera and Bastian Schweinsteiger will sit deep but the Spaniard has a natural ability to play a little higher.
In the second leg against Brugges, he began the game sitting deep but ended it as a number 10 and was a lot better, even getting on the score-sheet. With Morgan Schneiderlin and Michael Carrick both on the bench though, van Gaal does have options if he wants to change things.
Fifteen years ago, United went to Eindhoven for a group-stage clash and were torn to shreds.
Hard to believe it was that long ago. How about the appearance of those navy away shirts? And Jonathan Greening?
Read more here.
Tonight is the night BT Sport begins their Champions League coverage and they’re very keen. They’ve been on the air since 6pm. That’s not a typo. That’s 1 hour and 45 minutes of pre-game build-up.
An impressive production – glitzy studio, Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard as analysts and Gary Lineker hosting. But it’s a LOT of chat.
On BT, Louis van Gaal has revealed that Martial is starting because the United coach ‘didn’t have another choice’ because of Rooney’s injury and Fellaini feeling ill. Still, the Belgian is on the bench while an actual striker – James Wilson – hasn’t even made the subs list.
Here’s how the PSV team will line up, by the way. A mild variation on a 4-3-3.
Interesting report from The Guardian this evening. It seems the Manchester United team bus left their Eindhoven hotel without Anthony Martial on board. When the youngster came through the hotel doors, the bus stopped and he boarded. Shades of a young Roy Keane…
“I didn’t ask you to f**king wait for me, did I?”
Schweinsteiger has fitted in well at United & it was revealed today that his team-mates have christened him Mr Calm’. Let’s see if he sets the tempo for the away side this evening.
Chris Smalling is the United captain this evening, by the way, in the absence of Wayne Rooney and with Michael Carrick on the bench.
1′ – AND WE’RE UNDERWAY!
Phillip Cocu is the PSV manager, of course. Certainly a familiar face to many after his very long playing career with Holland and a variety of teams around Europe. Always a clever, patient player.
2′ - Smalling makes a solid challenge as PSV look to break through. Meanwhile, at the other end, Martial is a little too eager as he takes it across the area and his attempted pass to Memphis is easily intercepted. Moments later, he commits a foul trying to get the ball back.
Young on the right side – unusual because it probably impacts his usual trick of cutting inside and whipping in dangerous in-swingers with his right foot. He tries to win a corner but last touch is off him and it harmlessly rolls out for a goal-kick.
CLOSE! Good attack from United as they break down the left side after Matat plays a great ball through for Memphis and he whips in a low cross to the near post where Martial tries to flick towards goal. But it’s easily saved by Zoet. Decent chance that.
That move showing the influence Mata carries from a central zone. It was a lovely through-ball for Memphis and if his touch was better, he’d have been in on goal.
That was a chance for Young after Herrera did well to win possession back. He had plenty of space but the cross was wayward. Arguably Herrera could’ve had a shot there but elected to pass.
Whoops!
We couldn't find this Tweet
CLOSE! Well, Luke Shaw bursts through with his electric pace and only a desperate challenge prevents him getting a proper shot in. But he’s a crumpled heap right now as he was hit very hard. Perfectly fair tackle from Moreno but huge concern over the left-back here. Certainly won’t continue.
There were immediate hand signals to the United bench when Shaw went down and it will be Marcos Rojo who’ll come in for his first appearance of the season. Van Gaal is going through things forensically with the Argentine on the sideline as Shaw is still being treated here.
This looks very serious and so unlucky for Shaw who’s been United’s best player so far this season. He missed so much of last term because of fitness issues and this is a major setback. A big attacking outlet for United probably a long-term casualty and that’s a massive blow.
Whoops!
We couldn't find this Tweet
There has been one quick replay immediately after the tackle and nothing since – and that says a lot. It’s a horrific injury and awful, awful luck for Shaw.
Finally, Shaw is stretchered off and the staff are being very, very careful with him. As he passes van Gaal, the Dutchman taps him on the arm.
SUBSTITUTION! Rojo (on) – Shaw (off)
Confirmation of that change with the Argentine slotting in at left-back.
Oh, wait a sec. Rojo has actually slotted in next to Chris Smalling and Daley Blind has moved across to full-back. So, Shaw’s injury has also broken up a really successful central defensive partnership.
Inevitably, the game has restarted slowly. The break certainly suited PSV more as United had started quite well.
Best spell for PSV in the last few moments. They bite in with a few challenges and are suddenly very hungry here. Narsingh ventures offside when he had a great chance to score and then Lestienne does likewise. United haven’t been the same since the Shaw injury.
There was a break for United as Young raced down the right. The cross wasn’t great though and PSV deal with the attack. Meanwhile, Blind pushes forward and wins a corner.
United better in the last few moments with Blind doing well at left-back. He tried to be a little too clever when Herrera played him in behind though and instead of driving it across, he tried a cutback and it was intercepted.
CLOSE! Poor from goalkeeper Zoet as he’s harried by Martial and his poor kick goes straight to Schweinsteiger. But the German doesn’t try the lob and tries to find Martial instead but is clattered after playing the pass. From the free-kick, Mata sends it in and Martial has a great chance to head home but seems to get his body position wrong and it falls wide of the upright. Great opportunity.
Lestienne has been good for PSV so far. He pops up again as the ball falls nicely for him in the area but he flings his left foot at it as a challenge comes in and it slices off his boot.
GOAL! Memphis!
Well, the former PSV man on his return to the ground he graced so well for so long and he breaks the deadlock. It’s a superb goal as he takes control in the area and with quick feet (think Giggs v Arsenal in FA Cup semi-final) evades two defenders and drives a low shot to the far corner.
CLOSE! And he very nearly has another! PSV are all over the place and Memphis sends a low strike towards the far corner once again – this time it drifts just wide with Martial hovering at the far stick too. United are in total control once more.
CLOSE! Chris Smalling? What’s he doing there? He’s dispossesses Lestienne on the edge of the PSV area and heads towards goal. On his left foot, he gets a decent smack off the ball but Zoet parries at his near post.
GOAL! Moreno!
Well, United conceded a corner after a little bit of confusion at the back. Lestienne swung it in and there was Moreno to send his header goal-wards. But it probably will go down as a Daley Blind own goal as he gets a touch on its way. Young, on the line, can’t keep it out either. And, out of the blue, PSV are back in this.
And in case you’re joining us a little late, there will be EIGHT minutes of injury time because of a really serious injury suffered by Luke Shaw earlier in the half. We’ve played five of them right now.
And how United have been left to rue those missed chances from Memphis and Smalling. They could easily have been 3-0 up and instead will probably head to the break at 1-1. They have a chance again as Mata’s cross creates all kinds of panic at the back for PSV but the Dutch side eventually manage to clear.
AND THAT’S HALF-TIME!
Well, the first period completely overshadowed by that horrific injury suffered by Luke Shaw. The early indications are that it’s a bad leg break but we’ll have any update for you as soon as we hear.
Before it happened, United were in control but afterwards they took their time to get going again. When they did, they scored through Memphis and his brilliant individual goal. His quick feet got him away from two challenges and he kept his cool to slot home. But he had another chance moments later but his effort rolled agonisingly past the far post. Then, Chris Smalling found himself in front of goal with just goalkeeper Zoet to beat but his effort was well saved.
And after all that, United conceded from a set-piece. They can probably count themselves a bit unlucky as Moreno’s initial header was helped to the net by Daley Blind but Louis van Gaal won’t be pleased that the first header was won.
Both goals they’ve conceded in European football this season have come from set-pieces and, let’s face it, their own players (Michael Carrick’s OG in the first leg against Club Brugge).
On BT, Owen Hargreaves has suggested the Moreno tackle on Shaw was reckless, and that it should’ve been a penalty and a red card. Having seen it again, the defender wraps his trailing leg around Shaw, in that dreaded scissors motion and that is careless. It’s the most feared kind of tackle in the game, really and can do serious damage. Moreno gets the ball which made it look pretty clean (I was convinced when watching live) but it’s a dangerous tackle.
AND WE’RE BACK UNDERWAY!
Luke Shaw may be in hospital getting treatment on a really awful injury but he’s also tweeting his thanks to a former club…
That’s good from United as Memphis’ flick makes space for Rojo on the overlap – he drills in the cross but there’s no-one there to take advantage. They’ve seen a lot of the ball already here with Schweinsteiger involved quite a bit.
CLOSE! That’s nice from United as Memphis and Martial combine and the Dutch youngster tries to slot it around Zoet to the far corner but it’s too close to the goalkeeper.
YELLOW CARD! Blind, who has been superb tonight, makes a great interception after reading the danger and feeds Ashley Young who cuts inside and is taken down by Arias. First booking of the evening for the PSV man.
GOAL! Narsingh!
And that’s the Dutch side in front. It came from a mistake as Matteo Darmian carelessly gave the ball away and Lestienne raced down the left side and whipped in an excellent cross. There was Narsingh to nod home from close range. All change. And United will probably be wondering how this has happened.
YELLOW CARD! That’s cynical from Moreno as Young bursts through the middle towards goal and the defender gets the arm across him and brings him down. He goes straight in the book but Memphis can’t conjure any magic from the free-kick.
CLOSE! Oh! What is Juan Mata thinking! Schweinsteiger plays in a magnificent pass over the top and it’s dropping right onto Mata’s left foot. Surely he’ll take it first time? But he doesn’t and almost thinks too much about what he will do. In the end, he mis-controls and the ball bounces harmlessly over the by-line. What a chance!
United need to be careful. They’re pushing high as they chase an equaliser but that means becoming increasingly vulnerable to the counter attack…
And United are really pressing now. Memphis is almost played in and would’ve been but for a couple of last-ditch PSV challenges. Pressure growing on the home side here.
YELLOW CARD! Smalling has got booked after catching Guardado and the Mexican is rolling around quite dramatically. Has he turned his ankle, maybe?
Guardado is coming back on but still seems in some pain. PSV down to ten men for the moment…
YELLOW CARD! PSV are just sitting back and absorbing and it’s hard for United to make a breakthrough. But as United press, Guardado falls to the turf and PSV want United to put the ball out of play. They don’t (they’re attacking) and Bruma’s ranting gets him booked.
SUBSTITUTION! Schaars (on) – Guardado (off)
Confirmation that the Mexican did some damage to himself after that clash with Smalling and can’t continue.
Young pops up on the left side and does well once more. He cuts inside and tries a shot and it’s Bruma who puts his body on the line. It’s a real siege and as the dropping ball falls, Mata and Memphis go for it and make a mess as the ball harmlessly bounces past both of them.
SUBSTITUTION! Fellaini (on) – Herrera (off)
Well, according to van Gaal, Fellaini was ill before the game. Still, he’s the Plan B here and drops in behind Martial up top.
Time running out just a little for United as Blind lines up a cross on the left and gets it all wrong, much to the delight of the home fans.
Mata tries to knock it through for Martial but it’s really difficult for the youngster to control and it bounces over the by-line. It’s just not happening for United now and are in desperate need of some inspiration.
And space for PSV to exploit. Twice in the last few moments, they cut through. Firstly, Lestienne is greedy in the left channel as he hammers a shot towards the near post with Narsingh in a better position. Then De Jong puts his effort wide. They could get a third here, the Dutch.
SUBSTITUTIONS! Locadia (on) – Lestienne (off) & Valencia (on) – Young (out)
Lestienne has been terrific down the left side for the hosts and is given a standing ovation as he trots off. Meanwhile, Valencia slots in on the right side.
Before the game, van Gaal said he’d happily take a draw. He’d bite your hand off for it right now. 2 minutes of normal time left and United seem all out of ideas.
It’s just not breaking for United here but they have a free-kick here in a great position.
Disastrous free-kick routine from United and they’re almost caught on the break. Desperate stuff.
And that’s a free-kick for PSV as Fellaini commits a cheap foul and van Gaal’s awful record at this stadium looks set to continue.
AND THAT’S FULL-TIME!
Well, that’s inexcusable from United really. They conceded a really poor goal in the second half but seemed to panic with plenty of time left and made some poor decisions in the final third when they needed a cool head.
There were plenty of positives – particularly how Martial did on his first start. Memphis scored a terrific goal and could easily have had a second while Juan Mata will be cursing himself over a superb chance in the second period that was brilliantly created by Bastian Schweinsteiger.
But when they needed a moment of quick-thinking or touch of magic, they lacked it. With two youngsters in Martial and Memphis up front, perhaps that’s to be expected.
PSV will be overjoyed. They were second best for the majority of that game and rarely dominated but they smsahed and grabbed their way to victory and the Narsingh goal was great in its creation with Lestienne sending in a lovely cross. Still, it came from a Darmian error with the first goal going in via the head of Daley Blind.
So, van Gaal could talk about misfortune but something tells me he’ll prefer to look at the individual errors and poor judgement in the final third.
Thanks for staying with us this evening. Plenty more reaction on the site throughout the night.
